Automotive vehicle drive train systems have been in existence for more than a century, and improvements and modifications have been ongoing and continuous. With the current concerns regarding the need for environmentally friendly (eco-friendly) vehicles as well as the concerns regarding the continually rising costs of fuel, improvements to the main components of a powered vehicle, such as to the drive train system, are highly desirable. Improving fuel efficiency, and the attendant reduction in fuel consumption, are crucial in marketing vehicles and making their purchase more desirable for consumers. In addition, improving the efficiency of the drive train system of a vehicle also reduces the wear on the system and reduces the maintenance on the vehicle.
The following patents disclose a variety of drive train systems and medications thereto.
For example, the Nasvytis patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,244) discloses an automotive system utilizing a high velocity, moderate mass flywheel capable of storing and quickly dissipating large amounts of kinetic energy.
The Lohr patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,356)) discloses a centrifugal clutch that includes a pair of clutch shoes and a rotor having drive arms that allows the torque capacity of the clutch to be changed by altering the orientation of the clutch shoes with respect to the drive arms.
The Suzuki patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,865 B1) discloses a driving force transfer system for an automotive vehicle that includes a generator-motor and an engine with a mechanical means to switch between the two.
The Jensen et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,755,293 B2) discloses an rpm-responsive sprag overrunning clutch that includes a hub, a ring gear, and a plurality of movable sprags that are shiftable into and out of wedging relationship between the hub and the ring gear.
The Brass patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,624 B1) discloses a motor vehicle that includes a drive train utilizing flywheel rotation for storing and releasing energy during acceleration and deceleration depending on the vehicle power requirements.
The Sherrod patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,477 B1) discloses a drive clutch for a CVT that includes a stationary sheave, a movable sheave, a motor and a centrifugal weight system.
The Masuda et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,623 B2) discloses an engine incorporating a v-belt type continuously variable transmission having a drive pulley that is attached to the end of the crankshaft.
The Kojima et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,392,870 B2) discloses a power module driving control apparatus and hybrid vehicle that incorporates a speed sensing type clutch with the power drive system.
The Groddeck et al. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,410,444 B2) discloses a drive unit for a hybrid motor vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine and a dynamoelectric machine connected to the transmission of the motor vehicle.
Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices there remains a need for a drive system that will improve the efficiency of any powered rotating force.